Woodice (slaters), waterlice and landhoppers are crustacea; they are more closely related to crabs, lobsters and shrimps than to insects.
In general terms, crustacea are predominantly creatures of aquatic environments, sea and freshwater, whereas insects are predominantly creatures of the land and air.
With insects, it is easy to think of exceptions to the general rule. Insects adapted to aquatic environments include water beetles, aquatic bugs, mayflies, and so on.
With crustacea, there are far fewer exceptions to the general rule. The main non-aquatic group are woodlice (slaters) which are well adapted to terrestrial environments, with some species able to survive even desert conditions.
There is also a small number of species of terrestrial amphipod crustacea (landhoppers), all native to the southern hemisphere. One of those species is now established in many parts of Britain, primarily in the west, including the Isle of Bute.
For convenience Britain’s single species of terrestrial amphipod is included in the same recording scheme as woodlice.
Because Britain has very few species of freshwater isopod crustacea (waterlice or water slaters) these too are included in the same recording scheme as woodlice.
A checklist of Bute’s woodlice, waterlice and landhopper
CLASS Crustacea
ORDER Isopoda
SUBORDER Oniscidea: woodlice or slaters.
Family Ligiidae
Ligia oceanica, Sea Slater.
Family Trichoniscidae
Androniscus dentiger, Rosy Woodlouse.
Trichoniscus pusillus agg, Common Pygmy Woodlouse (not yet clear whether this is T.pusillus
sensu stricto or T. provisorius)
Trichoniscus pygmaeus, Least Pygmy Woodlouse.
Haplophthalmus mengei agg, Common Ridgeback (not yet clear whether this is H.mengei
sensu stricto or H.montivagus)
Trichoniscoides saeroeensis, Coastal Red-eye.
Family Philoscidae
Philoscia muscorum, Common Striped Woodlouse or Fast Woodlouse.
Family Oniscidae
Oniscus asellus, Shiny Woodlouse.
Family Armadillidididae
Armadillidium vulgare, Common Pill Woodlouse.
Family Cylisticidae
Cylisticus convexus, False Pill Woodlouse.
Family Porcellionidae
Porcellio scaber, Rough woodlouse.
Porcellio spinicornis, Painted Woodlouse.
SUBORDER Asellota
Family Asellidae: waterlice or water slaters
Proasellus meridianus, One-spotted Waterlouse
ORDER Amphipoda
Family Talitridae
Arcitalitrus dorrieni, Australian Landhopper
Sources
Collis, G.M. & Collis, V.D. (2004). Woodlice and waterlice on Bute. Transactions of the Buteshire Natural History Society 26, 60-64.
Collis, G. & Collis, D. (2008). The Pill Woodlouse, Armadillidium vulgare, at one-time horticultural nursery sites on Bute. Transactions of the Buteshire Natural History Society 27, 87-88. pdf
Collis, G. & Mulholland, N. (2012). Cave spiders and Australian Landhoppers in a small Bute garden. Transactions of the Buteshire Natural History Society 28, 62-63.
Further reading
Gregory, S.J. (2009). Woodlice and waterlice (Isopoda: Oniscidea and Asellota) In Britain and Ireland. Wallingford,: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Hopkin, S.P. (1991). A key to the woodlice of Britain and Ireland. Preston Montford: Field Studies Council.
Internet resources
Recording Scheme / British Myriapod and Isopod Group
Last updated May 2013